The human eye in its simplest terms functions to provide vision by transmitting light through a clear outer portion called the cornea, and focusing the image by way of a crystalline lens onto a retina. The quality of the focused image depends on many factors including the size and shape of the eye, and the transparency of the cornea and the lens.
When age or disease causes the lens to become less transparent, vision deteriorates because of the diminished light which can be transmitted to the retina. This deficiency in the lens of the eye is medically known as a cataract. An accepted treatment for this condition is surgical removal of the lens and replacement of the lens function by an artificial intraocular lens (IOL).
In the United States, the majority of cataractous lenses are removed by a surgical technique called phacoemulsification. During this procedure, an opening is made in the anterior capsule and a thin phacoemulsification cutting tip is inserted into the diseased lens and vibrated ultrasonically. The vibrating cutting tip liquifies or emulsifies the lens so that the lens may be aspirated out of the eye. The diseased lens, once removed, is replaced by an artificial lens.
Surgical devices for performing such operations are typically hand-manipulatable and comprise a housing, a central shaft, and a cutting or polishing tip. A plurality of tips can be interchangeably mounted onto the distal end of the shaft. The tips each include a working end for performing the cutting or polishing and a mounting end having a threaded shank. The shank is screwed into a threaded bore formed in the end of the shaft. As can be appreciated, the tip must be securely attached to the shaft during the operation and the entire handpiece and all of its tubings must be primed. During a typical surgical procedure, more than one handpiece may be used, and this handpiece too must be primed. Priming of the handpiece(s) is a separate step, implemented following the attachment of any tip(s) with a tip wrench. Following tip attachment, prior art priming methods include placing a small rubber balloon or “test chamber” over the tip of the handpiece. Irrigation fluid is allowed to flow into the test chamber at the same time that fluid and air are aspirated out of the test chamber. In effect, the test chamber makes the irrigation/aspiration system a closed loop, much as when being used within an eye. The process is then repeated with any other handpieces that are going to be used in surgery. This process is time consuming and has the possibility for errors.
Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a device that assists in both the attachment of tips to and handpiece and the priming of the handpiece.